Indian National Calendar

The Indian national calendar, sometimes called the Saka calendar, is the official civil calendar in use in India. It is used, alongside the Gregorian calendar, by The Gazette of India, in news broadcasts by All India Radio and in calendars and communications issued by the Government of India. The Saka calendar is also used in Java and Bali among Indonesian Hindus. Nyepi, the "Day of Silence", is a celebration of the Saka new year in Bali.

Gregorian

The Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar. A regular Gregorian year consists of 365 days and in a leap year, an intercalary or leap day is added as 29 February making the year 366 days. Normally a leap year occurs every 4 years, but the Gregorian calendar omits 3 leap days every 400 years, unlike the Julian calendar, which retains those leap days.

The Scientific basis of National Calender

Position of Sun

National Day

Position of the Sun

Day

Remarks

1st Chaitra

Vernal Equinox

22nd March

Day & Night are equal

1st Ashadh

Summer Solstice

22nd June

Dakshinayan starts

1st Ashwin

Autumnal Equinox

23rd Sept.

Day & Night are equal

1st Paush

Winter Solstice

22nd Dec

Uttarayan starts

Arrangement of the months

S.N

National Month

Gregorian Date

Number of Day

1

Saur Chaitra

21st/22nd March

30/31

2

Saur Vaisakha

21st April

31

3

Saur Jyaistha

22 May

31

4

Saur Asadha

22nd June

31

5

Saur Sravana

23rd July

31

6

Saur Bhadrapad (Bhadra)

23rd August

31

7

Saur Asvina

23rd Sept.

30

8

Saur Kartika

23rd Oct.

30

9

Saur Agrahayan

22nd Nov.

30

10

Saur Pausa

22nd Dec

30

11

Saur Magha

21st Jan

30

12

Saur Phalguna

20th Feb

30

Akashmitra Mandal

Akash Mitra is an amateur Astronomers' Organization. Its objective is to popularize astronomy and induce students, enthusiasts to make useful contributions in the field of astronomical research. It also aims to carry systematic study of the subject. It was the first organization in India to organize the amateur astronomers' Meet in India. Since it's establishment in August 1986, many seminars, workshops, Basic Astronomy Courses, Sky Watching Programmes were conducted by the organization. It has also enhanced the astronomical literature in India by publishing the "Directory of Persons Associated with Astronomy in India"

The important milestones in the brief tenure of Akash Mitra are marked by some major contributions to the society in the field of astronomy in general and information dissemination in particular. Apart from the publication of Directory of Persons Associated with Astronomy in India, Akash Mitra successfully measured the latitude of Kalyan city. The opening of the Astronomy Reference Library was first of its kind not only in the city, but also in its vicinity.